What a night it was tonight in Vegas topped off by this main event. Time to break down our Lomachenko vs Walters full fight report and round by round analysis.
Lomachenko vs Walters Full Fight Analysis
The Lomachenko vs Walters full fight played out as many had predicted it would tonight as an excellent performance from Vasyl Lomachenko.
Based off of their pre-fight demeanors you would think that the boxer was the puncher and vice versa.
Nicholas ‘The Axe Man’ Walters was bouncing during the introductions while Vasyl ‘Hi-Tech’ Lomachenko stood still as he worked up to a bounce during his part of the pre-fight introductions.
Discipline and respect were on display early in round 1 before the lightweight champion ended the feeling out process that lasted the first two thirds of the round.
Lomachenko seemed to find what he was looking for after previously trading tactical feeling out punches that are expected by a boxer that was opposite a power puncher.
Sporting Manny Pacquiao-like footwork, the heavy favorite created angle after angle which led to combinations and more angles.
Round two saw Lomachenko take the mantle as the aggressor as he looked absolutely sharper than his opponent who was in the ring following a 343 day layoff since his last fight.
The ‘Axe Man’ never seemed to get comfortable as Lomanchenko’s activity level and footwork didn’t leave a ledge for the challenger to stand on – in order to set his feet and produce any punch with significant power attached to it.
A change in strategy by Walters and Co to start round 3 saw Walters come to the middle of the ring in a high guard and little movement intended to short circuit Lomachenko’s footwork by making him trade punches.
A strategy that would soon backfire and would be the beginning of the end for Walters, as Lomachenko would use his superior footwork once again to dart in and out at will and plant the seed for his power,
Walters’ activity level picked up in the fourth round but in vain as the ‘Hi Tech’ footwork once again didn’t allow any significant punch to stick.
Tonight, @vasyllomachenko showed why he’s the undisputed super featherweight champ. #LomachenkoWalters pic.twitter.com/2dOOWlagKC
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) November 27, 2016
It’s ironic that the respect for Walters’s power is what motivated Lomachenko to stay disciplined and crafty – landing those mobile rights and lefts in combination and at will nonetheless.
Round six was Walters’ best round as he landed several left hooks to the body which only caused Lomachenko to plant his feet and deliver more power punches and combinations of his own.
With the apparent respect of Walters’ power out of the way due to Lomanchenko having taken solid punches and looked through them, both fighters stood inactive in the middle of the ring for different reasons.
Lomachenko because he had found the missing link to the puzzle and Walters because he seemed defeated mentally and content to have seconds tick by and not take any more damage.
Round seven saw ‘Hi Tech’ pick up where he left off in the previous by planting his feet and landing in combinations until he landed what seemed to be a fight changing straight left hand about two minutes in and kept Walters off balance for the rest or the round.
This would turn out to be the rest of the fight, as during the end of intermission Walters’ corner was approached by referee Tony Weeks and was asked if they wanted to continue, eliciting a ‘No Mas’ from Walters’ trainer.
Ring rust need not apply, rather than fight his way back ‘The Axe Man’ quit as he realized that he underestimated and was outclassed his opponent and fell on his sword choosing to fight another day.
Vasyl ‘Hi-Tech’ Lomachenko minus the professional resume absolutely belongs in the top ten pound for pound list as his ‘Hi Tech’ skill set cant be denied.
He will be entering big fight territory soon with a Vargas call-out as well as rumblings about Manny Pacquiao and Terence Crawford.
As for Walters it’s back to the drawing board to regroup. Holding out for a bigger slice of the pie robbed him of precious activity but we will hear from him again one of these days.
All of the post Kovalev vs Ward controversy in boxing should now be a thing of the past after watching such a refreshing fighter that has the fan-friendly skills to keep hardcore staples and bring in casuals all in the same breath.
Vasyl ‘Hi-Tech’ Lomachenko, amateur legend and soon to be a professional one as well.
